Harry Redknapp refuses to rule out signing Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka for ... - Goal.com

Tottenham themselves appear to be light on strikers with Roman Pavlyuchenko suffering a knee injury in a training ground collision with Andros Townsend ahead of the Europa League tie against PAOK, meaning Jermain Defoe is expected to keep his place in the starting line-up after scoring against West Brom on Saturday.

But with Anelka a possible casualty during the January transfer window, Redknapp is refusing to rule out signing the striker who burst on to the scene as a teenager with north London rivals Arsenal.

"I've always liked him," he told reporters.

"I think he's a fantastic goalscorer.

"I wouldn't stand here and say, 'No, never' because if I signed him, you'd say I was lying.

"It's not a bad shout. He's a good player."

Tottenham are in a relatively strong position in group A of the Europa League, level on seven points with Rubin Kazan and only one point behind Wednesday's opponents.

Spurs are looking to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat in Kazan last time out as they take on PAOK, who they secured a goalless draw with in the first match of the group stages.

With the fixture schedule once again being criticised by managers, Redknapp is wary about tiring out his players now before the important run-in later on in the season.

"After the Real Madrid game last season we fell away a bit, but if we'd have had a decent run then we'd have been very close to a top-four finish last year," he added.

"Certainly, we'd have made the Champions League but like a lot of teams, we couldn't sustain it late on. But we are bang there again this year."